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Maryland Anti Slots Debat Continues

The July 04, 2023, By Rodney Eriksen

Activists in Maryland voed on Tuesday to continue their fight against the proposal of Maryland’s largest planned casino, saying that the judge’s ruling last week derailing a public vote in the issue would not deter them.

Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Ronald A. Silkworth ruled Friday that a planned referendum on zoning legislation for the casino was illegal because the zoning bill was part of an appropriation package. Under state law, spending measures cannot be decided upon by voters at the ballot box.

Annicelli's group, which disagrees with that interpretation, is part of a coalition that collected enough signatures to force a countywide vote on the zoning bill, which was approved by the Anne Arundel County Council in December. The majority of funding for the coalition's efforts has been provided by the Maryland Jockey Club, which favors slots at Laurel Park racetrack instead. .

Cordish Cos., a Baltimore-based developer seeking to build a 4,750-machine slots casino adjacent to the mall, last week hailed Silkworth's ruling as a victory for taxpayers. About half of the state's slots proceeds are earmarked for education programs. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Gov. Martin O'Malley said he understood the frustrations of the homeowners fighting the casino. In 2008, statewide voters authorized five slots locations, including one in Anne Arundel. The locations were not specified in the measure. .

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